Coupling for pump rods, trailer hitches and the like



H. A. ONKEN May 28, 1935.

COUPLING FOR PUMP RODS, TRAILER HITCHES, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 9, 1935 Patented May 2 8, 1935 UNITED S AT PATIENT-OFFICE COUPLING Iron PUMP Rops, TRAILER HITCHES AND THE LIKE Herman A. Onken, Webster City, Iowa Application February 9, 1935, Serial No. 5,879

3 Claims.

This invention relates to couplings and the general object is to provide a coupling by which two elements may be readily coupled to each other or uncoupled from each other.

A further object is to provide a coupling device of this character in which the locking bolt is positively held in its locked position until manually released, and a further object is to provide a device of this character which is adapted for use as a trailer hitch, for coupling pump rods of windmill pumps to each other, and for many other purposes of a like character.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved coupling.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an underside plan view.

Referring to the drawing, I designates the body of the coupling which is formed of a length of channel iron. Extending upward through the body is a pin II, upon which is mounted a lever I2, the pivot for the lever being designated I3. The pin II passes through the rear end of a fork, the two arms of which are designated I4. This fork may be formed of a folded strip of metal or of two strips of metal, as illustrated, the strips being divergently related at their forward ends so as to be spaced apart, the rear ends of the strips being brought close together and inserted within the channel iron I0 and held in place by the pin I I which in this case constitutes a bolt, and by a rivet or bolt I5. The pin or bolt II is provided with the two nuts I6 whereby the pin II may be adjusted up or down. The forward end of the fork I4 is provided with alined openings through which a locking bolt Il pivotally mounted upon the extremity of the lever I2 operates. When the rear end of the lever I2 is depressed, the locking bolt I! will be drawn upward and out of its locking. position. For the purpose of holding the forward end of the lever depressed and holding the pin depressed through the fork, I provide a shiftable element I8. This constitutes a base or yoke which embraces the channel iron I0 and is held thereto by a transverse bolt I9, this bolt at its opposite ends passing through slots 20 in the side flanges of the channel iron. Thus the element I8, which I will hereafter call a slide, may be shifted toward or from the fulcrum pin I I upon which the lever I2 is fulcrumed. The slide I8 carries upon it the upwardly extending lug 2I, and when the slide is pushed forward this lug 2| will extend under the rear end of the lever I2 and prevent the depression of the rear end of the lever and the elevation of the locking bolt I1 out from the fork I4. When the slide I8 is shifted rearward, it of course leaves the rear end of the lever free to be depressed. 5

The slide I8 is pulled forward or in the direction of the pin I I by means of a coiled contractile spring 22 which is attached at one end tothe bolt I9 and at the other end to any suitable attaching point, as for instance, the bolt or pin I I. It will thus vbe obvious that the slide I8 is urged toward the pin II by the spring 22 but that the slide may be manually retracted to free the lever I2 whenever desired, and that when it is so retracted and the rear end of the lever I2 drops, the slide as released will abut against the rear end of the lever I2 and by friction hold the lever I2 in a raised position. I In actual use, the body ID will be attached to an element, designated A, which may be a draft rod extending from an automobile, or truck, or may be a section of a pump rod or any like ele-' .ment, and of course the fork I4 embracesthe section element B which may be the draftrod of a trailer or which may be a pump rod section 25 or any other like element having. an aperture through which the locking bolt Il may be projected. It will be seen that this coupling is very simple and may be cheaply made; that it may be easily manipulated, and that the slide I8 provides positive locking means which positively holds the bolt I! from any chance of retraction from the fork and thus from disengagement with the element B. l I

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed, is: r

l. A coupling of the character described, comprising a body having an apertured fork at one end, a lever pivoted upon the body and having a locking bolt adapted to pass through the apertures of the fork, a slide mounted upon the body for longitudinal movement toward or from the pivot pin of the lever, the slide when pushed toward the pin being disposed beneath the rear end of the lever and preventing the rear end from being depressed and the locking bolt from being raised from the fork, the slide being retractible to permit the depression of the rear end of the lever.

2. A coupling of thecharacter described including a body having a fork at one end, the fork being apertured, a pin extending through the body, a lever pivoted upon the pin, a locking bolt pivoted to one end of the lever and operating 55 through the apertures of the fork, a slide embracing the body and having limited sliding engagement therewith and formed with a protuberant portion adapted, when the slide is shifted toward the pivot pin, to engage beneath the rear end of the lever and prevent its depression, the slide being adjustable out of such position, and a spring urging the slide toward the pivot pin.

3. A coupling of the character described, including a body formed of a channel iron, a. fork attached to the forward end of the body and projecting beyond the same, the arms of the forkbeing apertured, a pivot pin extending through a bolt extending through the slide, the sides of the body being slotted for the passage of the bolt whereby the slide may be shifted forward or rearward, the slide having a protuberant portion adapted to engage beneath therear end of the lever, when the slide isflshifted towardgthe pivot pin, the slide being retractible from this position, and a spring urging the slide toward the pivot pin.

7 HERMAN A. ONKEN. 

